Wednesday, May 20Wednesday, May 20Israel has conducted airstrikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon despite an April 16 US-brokered ceasefire, targeting Hezbollah positions. On May 7, Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing a commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force, marking its first such attack since the truce. Additional strikes followed in southern Lebanon, with Hezbollah responding by targeting an Israeli Merkava tank and a Namer APC with FPV drones in Bint Jbeil, as well as shelling IDF reinforcements attempting to evacuate the damaged tank .
The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah remains fragile, with ongoing violence despite diplomatic efforts. The Guardian reports that Israel has continued lethal strikes in Lebanon, undermining the truce’s intent, while also escalating attacks in Gaza. Analysts suggest Israel is exploiting Lebanon’s internal divisions to pressure Hezbollah and secure concessions .
Diplomatic talks between Israel and Lebanon are scheduled for May 14–15 in Washington, D.C., as confirmed by the U.S. State Department. The meetings aim to address tensions, though their potential impact remains uncertain amid continued hostilities .
The U.S. has faced scrutiny over its role in Lebanon, with 12 Democratic senators questioning potential American involvement in Israel’s displacement campaigns. Additionally, a long-standing U.S. military doctrine prioritizing Israel’s qualitative military edge (QME) has contributed to the Lebanese army’s underfunding, limiting its ability to counter Hezbollah .
Separately, the Israeli military is investigating incidents of religious desecration by its soldiers in southern Lebanon. A photo circulated online showing an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in Debel, following a prior incident where another soldier smashed a Jesus statue with a sledgehammer. The IDF stated it respects religious freedom and will discipline the soldier involved .
> Background: **Israels Beirut Strike Tests Fragile Ceasefire with Hezbollah** — *10 hours ago*
More LFE coverage on this topic
12 words neutral and captures the core conflict and ceasefire violation.**](livefromeurope.eu) · *3 days ago*
Photo shows Israeli soldier desecrating a Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon The Israeli military says it has launched an investigation after a photo showing one of its soldiers desecrating a statue of the Virgin Mary in South Lebanon went viral, as he placed a cigarette into the statues mouth whilst smoking. The IDF said it respects freedom of religion and that the soldier will be disciplined. The incident took place Debel, in the same village where last month, an Israeli soldier was filmed smashing a Jesus statue with a sledgehammer.
france24 · 13 days ago
Israeli Soldier Desecrates Virgin Mary Statue in Lebanon Israels military has launched an investigation after a photo circulated online showing an Israeli soldier desecrating a statue of the Virgin Mary in southern Lebanon. The image showed the soldier placing a cigarette into the mouth of the statue while smoking another cigarette himself. According to The Times of Israel, the Israel Defense Forces said […]
greek reporter · 13 days ago
Senators press US military on Israels displacement campaign in Lebanon In letter to CENTCOM commander, 12 Democrats raise questions about possible US role in Israels mass evacuation zones.
aljazeera · 13 days ago
Israels attacks and pressure sowing seeds for division in tense Lebanon Analysts say Israel aiming to exploit Lebanons divisions to force concessions amid military and political pressures.
aljazeera · 13 days ago
The Guardian view on ceasefires that arent: Israel never stopped killing in Gaza – allies must reject any escalation | Editorial The US is unlikely to pressure Benjamin Netanyahu to comply with truce terms. Europe must take actionThe meaning of the term ceasefire should be self‑evident. Yet Israels strikes have killed scores of people in Lebanon since it agreed a truce with Hezbollah under pressure from the US, with the two sides trading fire. There was a strike on Beirut on Wednesday. Benjamin Netanyahus government would be delighted to resume war with Iran. But it is wary of Donald Trumps wrath as he seeks an exit from the conflict.In Gaza, the Israeli military has killed more than 800 people since the truce there was declared in October, striking almost every day. This, too, is not a true ceasefire but a de-escalation, however necessary. Lethal Israeli attacks on an engineer and drivers transporting water have intensified the water crisis that is fuelling the spread of infectious diseases; Médecins Sans Frontières has called the weaponisation of water supplies a campaign of collective punishment. Never mind the estimated $70bn cost of reconstruction; homes are still being flattened. Families in tents face a rat infestation. Essential medicines are unavailable. Hospitals and schools lie in ruins. An analysis of the wars impact on education described children feeling like the living dead.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian · 13 days ago
Keeping the Lebanese army weak: A hardened US military doctrine at Israels service As Lebanon marks a month since Black Wednesday, when massive Israeli strikes killed 361 people, the international community continues to call on the Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah. But the US legal imperative to ensure Israel has a qualitative military edge (QME) has kept the Lebanese military under-funded, under-equipped and unable to perform its role.
france24 · 13 days ago
🇮🇱❌🇱🇧🇱🇧- Footage shows the aftermath of the IAF airstrike on an apartment building in Dahieh, southern Beirut, in which Israel claims to have targeted a commander of Hezbollahs Radwan Force, Malek Balut.
telegram bot · 13 days ago
Lebanon Latest Israeli strikes Beirut despite ceasefire Israel has carried out its first airstrike on Beiruts southern suburbs since the April 16 US-brokered ceasefire.
aljazeera · 13 days ago
⚡️🇱🇧🇱🇧❌🇮🇱 - Hezbollah announced targeting an IDF Merkava tank using an FPV drone in southern Lebanons Bint Jbeil at 14:45. At 14:50, IDF Reinforcements that attempted to evacuate the struck tank were targeted with artillery shelling. At 15:45, Hezbollah destroyed an IDF NAMER APC using an FPV drone in the town.
telegram bot · 13 days ago
Israel strikes Beirut and southern Lebanon despite truce Israel pummelled southern Lebanon on Thursday, state media and AFP correspondents said, a day after it targeted a Hezbollah commander in its first strike on Beiruts southern suburbs since a truce sought to end weeks of fighting. The Israeli army said Thursday that the strike on the southern suburbs killed the Commander of Hezbollahs Radwan Force Unit, an elite unit within the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. FRANCE 24s Renée Davis reports from Beirut, Lebanon.
france24 · 13 days ago
⚡Barak Ravid: Diplomats from Israel and Lebanon will meet at the State Department in Washington for a two-day round of talks on Thursday and Friday next week, a State Department official said
telegram bot · 13 days ago
Middle East war live: Lebanon, Israel to hold new talks in Washington May 14-15
france24 · 13 days ago
🇱🇧🤝🇮🇱- A US State Department official has confirmed to Al-Jazeera that delegations from Lebanon and Israel are scheduled to convene for talks in Washington D.C. next Thursday and Friday.
telegram bot · 13 days ago
Israel says it killed Hezbollah commander in first strike on Beirut since ceasefire Israel said on Thursday it had killed a commander of Hezbollahs elite Radwan force in an airstrike on Beirut a day earlier, the first Israeli attack on the Lebanese capital since a ceasefire agreed last month. The strike has raised pressure on the ceasefire that had halted Israeli attacks on Beirut, even as Israeli forces have remained deployed in areas south of the Litani River and continued to carry out strikes in southern Lebanon.
france24 · 13 days ago
Israel army investigating after soldier seen desecrating Virgin Mary statue in Lebanon The Israeli military said on Thursday it respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and religious symbols of all religions and communities.
euronews · 14 days ago
🇮🇱❌🇱🇧 — Israel has issued evacuation orders to two inland southern Lebanese villages south of the Litani River, one inland village the Litani River, and one village north of the Litani River on the coast between Tyre and Sidon. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
Philippines Mayon volcano spews debris over 52 villages Regional emergency units are now on high alert. The Philippine Coast Guard placed 124 personnel on standby for immediate evacuation support.
intellinews · 17 days ago
🇱🇧❌🇮🇱 — Repeated Hezbollah rocket launches towards the western flank of the Israeli-Lebanese border. Two Red Alerts sounded in two minutes of each other at the exact same location. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
🇸🇾❌🇸🇾 — Syrian Transitional Government has deployed reinforcements northwest of Suwayda City. Shelling and gunfire continues. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
🇸🇾❌🇸🇾 — Footage of clashes northwest of Suwayda City, as clashes between the Syrian Transitional Government and the Suwaydan National Guard continue. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
🇸🇾❌🇸🇾 — Clashes between Syrian Transitional Government forces and Suwaydan National Guard along Highway 109 at the villages of Rimat Hazm and Walgha, northwest of Suwayda City, Suwayda Governorate, Syria. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
⚡️🇱🇧🇱🇧❌🇮🇱 - Hezbollah has published footage of the targeting of an IDF M113 (Zelda Pikud) Control and Command Artillery Node using an FPV Drone in southern Lebanons Bayada on the 22nd of April. Hezbollah had previously announced this operation and stated the complete destruction of the node. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
⚡️🇱🇧🇱🇧❌🇮🇱 - Hezbollah has announced targeting an IDF Camera Surveillance installation within a command post using an FPV drone in southern Lebanons Bayada at 16:30. Moreover, a NAMER Command APC was struck with an FPV drone at 17:00 in the town. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
⚡️🇱🇧🇱🇧❌🇮🇱 - Hezbollah announced the targeting of an IDF Command Post and an IDF gathering of Infantry and armory using rocket artillery in southern Lebanons Bayada at 19:30 and 20:15 respectively. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
🇱🇧🇱🇧❌🇱🇧- The Lebanese Army has implemented security measures in the Kfarhat area of Beiruts southern suburbs following gunfire during a funeral. The response included conducting raids, deploying armored patrols, and establishing temporary checkpoints to stabilize the area. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
⚡️🇱🇧🇱🇧❌🇮🇱 - Hezbollah announced targeting an IDF Infantry and Armored gathering using rocket artillery in southern Lebanons Houla at 17:45. @GeoPWatch
telegram bot · 17 days ago
Southern Lebanon: Israeli strikes kill one, wounds rescuers Israel has carried out fresh air strikes in southern Lebanon. Officials there said at least one person was killed and four others were wounded. The strikes came after the Israel Defense Forces issued new evacuation warnings on Sunday for residents in more than ten villages and towns, including the city of Nabatieh. Residents were ordered to leave their homes and move at least 1,000 metres away to open areas. The hostilities are continuing despite a ceasefire signed last month between Israel and Lebanon, which was intended to halt the fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah. Israel has accused Hezbollah of repeated violations of the truce. France 24 International affairs editor Shirli Sitbon shares further insights.
france24 · 17 days ago